"Why not I take the Nathiagali road to reach Islamabad?" I thought, having a cup of tea in "Bhai Sweet & Hotel". The road would be more scenic filled with many interesting places like Donga Gali, Pipeline trek, Nathiagali and Muree. Unknowing the condition of the road I started off hesitantly.

On the way to Nathia-Gali from Abbottabad.

I was amazed to see the beauty around the road which leads straight into the mountains. Clean road, less traffic, autumn colors and cloudy weather were contributing the peace the place had. On the way, I stopped at a couple of places and realized that the temperature is colder than Abbottabad.

The beauty of the road which leads from Abbottabad to Nathia-Gali, Galiyat

One the way we saw these kids selling Hamlok or Aamlok (I know its Urdu name and it has probably 5-6 seeds per fruit. It grows during Jan-Feb season in Northern areas including Swat and Kohistan region)

These kids were selling "Amlok" which they picked from the nearby tree, Galiyat

Colors of Autumn on Nathia Gali road, Galiyat

Pipeline Trek Donga Gali

I had enough time when I reached Donga Gali so I decided to explore the Pipeline trek, which is about 4KM long. Dunga Gali to Ayubia track is named so as it is just beside the pipeline that supplies water from Dunga Gali to Murree. The trek provides amazing views passing from mountain to mountain and finally ending in Ayubia Bazaar. The trek is relatively plain which can be completed in 1hour and 3 minutes. Make sure you grab a water bottle and some cookies before you start the trek.

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Pakistan is not a common destination for a solo female traveler. Visas can be difficult to obtain and most governments have strongly advised against travel there. Visas can only be obtained from the embassy in your country of origin, so if you are planning to travel there first, contact the Embassy of Pakistan in your country.

I had a wish to witness autumn colors for a long time and on Dec 1st, I decided to visit Abbottabad and Galiyat. It was a 12th Rabi' al-awwal evening and the country was celebrating the birthday of the Islamic prophet, Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH). The plan was to leave late night and experience the sunrise on Karakorum Highway.

Driving to Hunza via Karakoram Highway is a wonderful experience for someone who is keen to explore. Driving this route, one experiences the diverse nature the country possess. Among the many, there are Plain lands of Hassanabdal, Pine jungles of Chattar Plains, Tea gardens of Shinkiari, Green Hills of Kohistan, Fresh springs in Shangla, Rugged mountains of Chilas, Snowy mountains of Hunza, The Mighty Indus River, the Attabad Lake, Glacier of Passu and a lot more which I can not mention here.

Karambar lake trek is one of the most diverse treks in northern areas of Pakistan and has many entry and exit points to the lake. It is also one of the most beautiful treks. Karambar lake lies on the boundary of Broghil valley in Chitral and Ishkoman valley in Gilgit Baltistan. The easy and shortest route to Karambar lake is from Chitral side (via Mastuj, Broghil valley). You need a minimum of 6 days for this trek from Chitral.

I had a wish to witness autumn colors for a long time and on Dec 1st, I decided to visit Abbottabad and Galiyat. It was a 12th Rabi' al-awwal evening and the country was celebrating the birthday of the Islamic prophet, Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH). The plan was to leave late night and experience the sunrise on Karakorum Highway.